Usage

The base mainly serves as a base of operations, airbase and munitions depot for the United States Air Force. The United States Marine Corps are also stationed at the base, as suggested by the base's belligerents often heard yelling "Semper Fi motherfucker!" and "I'm a fucking Marine!" during combat.

According to the patches worn by many units, there are also U.S. Army personnel stationed here which means Fort Zancudo serves multiple branches of the American forces. Both the Marines and Soldiers wear uniforms resembling that of the Army Combat Uniform, which is currently in service by the U.S. Army. However, the Marines' wear a tan vest resembling the Modular Tactical Vest just like their real-life counterparts.

Protection

Naturally Fort Zancudo is heavily guarded whose perimeter is lined with high, anti-scale fencing stretched along the perimeter of the base and the only two entry points are guarded checkpoints, where they inspect incoming personnel that arrive.

The grounds are often patrolled by Rhino tanks, Barracks OL trucks or CanisCrusaders.The local airspace also controlled by P-996 LAZER fighter jets whom have clearence to shoot down any aircraft not authorised to pass through. Often airborne Cargobobs can be seen flying over the base.

Fort Zancudo features one main airstrip, secondary airstrip, three large hangars, several smaller hangars, a munitions depot, rows of blockhouses for the base's inhabitants, a fire and rescue station, Refinery, Air Traffic Control tower, main office, and depots for the many vehicles on-site. Outside of the fence are several water storage tanks and machinery, possibly to provide the inhabitants of the fort with their own sanitised water, in the event of an emergency.

Fort Zancudo's fleet composed mainly of standard issue military vehicles including; The Rhino, Cargobob, Buzzard, P-996 LAZER, and the Titan. However, on the Warstock Cache & Carry website, there are pictures of a Patriot-based ATV and a Hunter in one of the two Fort Zancudo runways.

The soldiers stationed at Fort Zancudo are rarely seen outside of the base. However, on some occasions, a large convoy consisting of Barracks and Canis Crusaders can be seen driving along Route 1 in the west or Route 68 in the south, likely delivering supplies.

Grand Theft Auto V

During the fourth Rampage, two soldiers can be seen just outside the base's southern approach. They are presumably replacing a deflated tire of their Crusader before Trevor Philips confronts them. Mocking him for a Canadian, Trevor grabs a Grenade Launcher from the nearby Barracks and loses it. During the rampage, two Rhinos are dispatched in a bid to kill Trevor but only to result in their destruction.

Grand Theft Auto Online

Like the Story, Fort Zancudo is still restricted to players and the usual consequences apply to trespassers.

As of the GTA Online: Smuggler's Run update, three hangars were put up for sale for the player to start an airfreighting business, along with Ron.

Panorama of Fort Zancudo

Restriction

The main barracks of Fort Zancudo

Like Area 69, unauthorized entry over Fort Zancudo airspace is strictly forbidden. Fort Zancudo Air Traffic Control will issue warnings to the player via radio. If the player flies over and departs the area, a 2-star wanted level will be attained.

Should the player choose to continue flying over the base after the warnings, a 4-star wanted level will be attained, accompanied by P-996 LAZERs firing heat-seeking missiles. They will still warn the player if they are flying a P-996 LAZER over the base. If the player is flying low enough over the base, there will be no warning, but a wanted level will be gained if the player is spotted by someone on the ground. Alternatively, flying at high altitude may not cause the player to be warned, resulting in no wanted level.

If the player gets too close to one of the two checkpoint entrances to Fort Zancudo, the soldier on-station will warn them, if one still hangs around if they ignore the second warning then the guard will open fire and a wanted level will be issued.

If the player enters the base by ground undetected, a 4-star wanted level will be obtained shortly after being spotted by personnel. This will sound the alarm and mobilize anyone on site, wether in a vehicle or not. Even if the player acquires a military vehicle (e.g., a Rhino) and try to enter the base, they will treat it as stolen or not their property and will open fire still.

Ground Access

If the player is on the ground, they can either drive straight through the checkpoint or go over the perimeter fence using one of the natural jumps.

In GTA Online, the checkpoint never opens, so the only way to get in by ground is to jump the fence.

Jump locations.

1. Drive down the dirt path beside north side of the road tunnel west of the base and use the hill side as a ramp to get over the fence, and then drive to a trench entrance.

The Mount Josiah path can be noticed by its dirt road which is less steep than the rest of the mountain. The player will usually land near the bleachers of the training grounds, although there is a chance of either landing in the large trench or on the road if the player is not fast enough.

Once inside Fort Zancudo, the player must act quickly and head for the runway area. If they are too slow or too reckless, they may be caught out by a patrolling Rhino Tank. Unlike previous games, the ones manned by NPCs will use their cannons on unsuspecting players. During freemode, the Rhinos are far more accurate than in missions so care must be taken around them.

Quotes

The following are heared from either ATC or stationed guards.

When flying over the base, ATC issues one of the following:

This is restricted airspace. Divert your course or you will be shot down!"

"You have entered Fort Zancudo Airspace. Divert immediately!"

"This is the U.S. Army airspace. Divert or we will take you down"

"This is a no fly zone. Divert your course"

"You are in the Fort Zancudo no fly zone! Divert, or you will be shot down!"

"You are flying in restricted airspace. Turn around immediately!"

When approaching one of the checkpoints, the guard on station will yell the following.

"Sir, leave the area now! This is for authorized personnel only!"

"I'm not going to say this again. Leave now!" (If the player dosen't move away.)

Ballistic Equipment - 2-player mission only. Appears in the hangar immediately on the left when entering from the northern entrance. Then requires a second player to acquire a Flatbed truck from the Base parking lot.

Glitches

For some reason, a tourist NPC will spawn on the longer runway in the fort. They will usually be looking through binoculars, and the military will never attempt to pursue them.

Another glitch can happen where several upper-class female NPCs can be found walking out of the fort's barracks, and the military will also not pursue them. This can be noticed in GTA Online using the Cops Turn Blind Eye feature.

Using a fast vehicle (such as a car in Super, Sports class) or any motorcycle will sometimes allow the player to pass through the front checkpoint unnoticed, depending on which direction the guard is facing. Once passed, an entrance to a trench that surrounds the entire base can be found immediately to the right. Navigating the trench will not trigger a wanted level; it is recommended that the player quick saves at this point. Throughout the trench are several exits, with one behind the landing strip where two P-996 LAZERs spawn. Once the player exits the trench, they can move throughout the base unnoticed for about ten seconds before the alarm is triggered. This gives the player a significant headstart if they intend to hijack a military vehicle, as the authorities' response times are delayed. It should be noted that if helicopters spawn, the player will be noticed and the trench rendered useless.

Trivia

Zancudo is Spanish for a malarial mosquito.

Fort Zancudo is only featured in one mission in GTA V if the offshore plan of The Merryweather Heist is chosen. Should the player opt for the 'Freight Plan' for the Merryweather Heist, Fort Zancudo is not featured at all.

If the player steals a military vehicle from the base, the police will give chase instead of the military, due to the Posse Comitatus Act.

Due to hard drive limitations, flying over restricted areas, like the airport or the Mission Row Police Station, will cause the Fort Zancudo air traffic control to warn the player to fly away or "they'll be shot down", yet there's no way to shoot down an aircraft from these places. This is due to re-used assets.

The heliport area of Fort Zancudo (near the Barracks Semi's spawn point) is also a secured area to make a save point and try to steal anything.

It is possible to enter the Air Traffic Control tower of Fort Zancudo. It has several rooms including a non-functioning elevator. At the top of the tower, there is a room where the Minigun will spawn on the floor every 30 to 90 seconds and in the uppermost level of the tower a health pack will spawn. There are two guards at the very top of the tower armed with Pump Action Shotguns or Carbine Rifles. On some occasions, soldiers can be found seated in the control tower, presumably handling the base's ATC systems.

When using the stairway to access the rooms in the uppermost level, none of the soldiers, who will try to kill the player trespassing into the base, nor any companion one takes into the tower will follow the player up the stairs.

If the player is trying to steal a vehicle inside Fort Zancudo they should take massive caution as there are up to four Rhino tanks doing patrol in and around the base. Near the Titan's location, they appear often.

During the second hunting mission Fair Game given by Cletus, one can easily run from the hunting grounds and towards the Fort, being able to explore all of it without there being any hostile soldiers.

An internet article from Weazel News after the mission Blitz Play, reports that Fort Zancudo has plans of opening a drone base near the fort. The article points that the base is going to bring needed jobs to the area and that they are also probably going change the law to enable the drones to help fight the menace of illegal aliens.

Inside the control tower, the computer screens show a map of the United States which slightly differs from the maps downstairs in the Training Center, especially on the West Coast. The rest of North America is absent.

Strangely, the in game map on the pause menu does not show the layout of Fort Zancudo at all, instead it is just an empty space on the map. In GTA Online however, the base layout will appear on the map when the player is inside the base or within its vicinity. The same occurs with the Bolingbroke Penitentiary.

This is possibly because Fort Zancudo is a restricted area so it must be remain secret from aerial view.

During around 7:00 - 7:10 AM patriotic music can be heard over the bases loudspeakers, possibly as a morning announcement. The music is "Reveille", a popular military wake-up call.

The design of the roundels (stars) painted on the hangars are similar to be that of the defunct United States Army Air Forces. This variation of the roundel was only used from 1941 to 1947; leaving the implication that the base has been active for roughly 70 years.

The player can buy a green t-shirt for Trevor that reads "Zancudo". It also has a military star on the back. It can be purchased at Discount Stores and Bincos.

Trevor is able to buy a pair of Desert Camo Pants from Suburban which is very similar to what the soldiers at Fort Zancudo wear.

If the player gets a wanted level near Fort Zancudo, the Barracks OL or Crusaders will chase the player like the LSSD. One can also hear the alarm sounding from the fort.

Occasionally, a Cargobob can spawn on the helipad. This is the only chance the player will be able to steal the Military version of the Cargobob outside of the storyline, although the player must be quick, as the Cargobob will fly away shortly.

The military will still attack the player even when they are playing as a bird after eating a Peyote Plant.

The large inaccessible hanger near the west entrance is now open after the release of the Heist Update, although there are no vehicles that spawn in it.

When Air Traffic Control say "This is the U.S. Army airspace. Divert or we will take you down.", the subtitles will say "This is the U.S. Army airspace. Divert or face the consequences." instead (PS3 and PC version tested).

In GTA Online as of Smuggler's Run DLC, the Fort Zancudo is unrestricted if the player owns a hangar. This makes it the first military base in the game to have free access to Fort Zancudo.

If looked closely on the sliding doors of a Savage, 'Zancudo' can be seen printed on them. Likely hinting they were (or formerly) used by the base.

The P-996 LAZER's description, on the Warstock Cache & Carry website, states and references the tactic used by players who stole one from Fort Zancudo for the first time.